


All the Time in the Universe

by dragonwings948



Series: The Promise of Time [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: (mentioned) - Freeform, But also, Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Episode: s06e08 Let's Kill Hitler, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Mush, Funny, Hugs, Idiots in Love, Introspection, Kissing, Love Confessions, Post-Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Read at Your Own Risk, Teasing, literally you can die from this amount of fluff, mostly - Freeform, oh boy here we go - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 22:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20786081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonwings948/pseuds/dragonwings948
Summary: In the midst of a quiet moment, River has some crazy realisations about the Doctor and his love for her.





	All the Time in the Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the promised sequel!! Gosh, it ended up so much different than I imagined it. I started writing it as a fic happening when they were already well into their time on Darillium, but the timing just wasn’t right for a follow up to the last fic. So, I basically ended up sort of rewriting the first chapter of my fic “A Night on Darillium” (basically describing what happened immediately after THoRS ended). I started from complete scratch writing this fic though, and dang...just writing it gave me intense feels. 
> 
> Guys, I’m not kidding when I say this literally just FLUFF. That’s it. That’s the title, the summary, and the content. Pure fluff. I know it’s short, but it’s dense. Trust me. 
> 
> This goes out to all of you who said you wanted this fic! I love you all, and want to thank you so much for reading and taking time to comment. It means the world to me! Enjoy! :)

The warm, loving look in the Doctor’s eyes reminded River of an adventure with him from so very long ago. In a way, it was like his old face was smiling at her through this new one’s eyes, telling her that he was finally making good on his promise. 

But it wasn’t just that realisation that made her heart beat faster. 

That day, in the treetops of a dangerous jungle planet, being hunted by maniacs, he had told her that he could turn one moment into forever. River had been much younger then, and in that moment she would have believed anything he said. Later, she had unmasked the promise for what it was: flowery poetry that the Doctor spouted to sound like he cared. It was still nice, but she knew it didn’t mean anything. 

At least, she’d  _ thought  _ it didn’t mean anything. 

She had never seen this coming. His new face, Darillium, the towers; those were enough. But more than that, he had defied every one of her beliefs about his feelings for her, broken down every single wall she’d had, in the course of a day. Without any talk of devotion, he had shown her undeniable proof that he would do anything for her. 

He had shown her that...he loved her. 

Her head spun a little at the thought. It floored her like it had so, so long ago, when this body of hers was brand new. The realisation of his feelings for her, despite the fact she had been trying to kill him, had driven her to sacrifice her regeneration energy for him. Afterwards, she had found herself head over heels for him. 

The delusion had faded over time. She got older, spent more time with the Doctor, and realised that he would never truly love her. 

But now, he was destroying every single doubt. He was offering her the most precious gift of all: time. With his declaration from a moment ago, he was committing himself to her for twenty-four years. For the first time, possibly ever, River knew that the Doctor loved her. 

River breathed a shaky sigh, trying to process all her thoughts at once. The way he was looking at her wasn’t helping at all. 

Hesitantly, giving the Doctor time to retreat, River touched her forehead to his. His eyes closed and his nose brushed against hers. A rush of butterflies assaulted River’s stomach. There was something brand new about all of this, though familiar at the same time. While still distinctly the time lord she loved, this Doctor was much more intimate and personal. 

River lifted her hands, trying to calm the tremors in them, and framed the Doctor’s face. His eyes opened and he smiled at her. River turned to fully face him and swept one of her hands through his hair, bringing it to rest on the back of his neck. The Doctor’s gaze rested on her lips as he anchored her against him with an arm around her waist. 

Finally, River found her voice, unable to help herself from teasing him. “I know you’re a bit out of practice, but if you want to kiss a girl you normally just do it instead of staring her down.” She fingered his tie, unable to look into his eyes lest she find herself speechless again. “Or, if you’re feeling especially gentleman-like, you can even ask.” 

He scolded her with a simple look, but his cheeks also reddened a bit. “You’re the one who usually initiates it,” he explained, only halfway meeting her gaze. “I didn’t know, with this body being so—”

River almost rolled her eyes. Had the minutes of stunned silence not told him how she felt? Before he could even finish his sentence she pulled his face down to hers. His body stiffened as their lips met and River only just kept herself from laughing. She kissed his static lips and drew away just enough to mutter, “This is an activity that involves both parties, in case you forgot.” She frowned at him and tried to keep it in place when she saw his wide-eyed, deer in the headlights look. “You didn’t actually forget, did you? Is that even possible for you?” 

He quirked an eyebrow at her, now indignant, though River really couldn’t read it as anything but sexy when he was this close. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked. 

River reorganised her thoughts. “Well, you know. I may have several husbands—” His arm tightened around her, just the tiniest bit, and she amended: “—have _ had _ several husbands in the past, but let’s not forget about you snogging your way all across the universe.” His expression shifted again to look absolutely incredulous, but River continued. “Then again, that may be why your tenth face was such a good kisser.” 

The Doctor looked upwards in askance for a moment, as if pleading to the universe for help. “I don’t go around just kissing people in this body—well, except—” His eyes met hers and he stopped, most likely realising he’d just be proving her right if he went on. He frowned, deflated, and his eyes accused her, though teasingly. “I was trying to be romantic just now.”

River laughed at his fallen expression. She brought her face closer to his once more and said softly, “Who said it wasn’t working?” This time, she let him kiss her. He was still hesitant, but a little more certain as his fingers tightened slightly in her hair, matching the insistence of his lips. 

It was a rather sweet, butterfly-inducing, toe-curling sort of kiss that stole River’s breath as he pulled away. For a moment she just stared at him, once again totally in awe. The music of the towers came to a crescendo and River stole a look over at them. 

“One moment,” she murmured, more to herself as she remembered that promise. The Doctor looked at her quizzically, so she expanded: “One moment is all I ever thought I’d get from you. Just one moment in the midst of travelling the endless universe.” She realised that she was absentmindedly stroking the curls on the back of his neck. “But twenty-four  _ years.”  _ Her voice shook on the last word. “I never even dreamed of it.” 

There was a gleam in his eye as he smiled. “I told you,” he said gently, and River was astonished that he even remembered that promise from so long ago. “One moment—one night—can be all the time in the universe.” 

And then a rare thing happened: River hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her head to his chest. She looked out at the towers and drank in the wild beauty of the monoliths. 

“Yes,” she agreed as his arms held her close. “All the time in the universe.”   
  



End file.
